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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27010432">Love Over Evil</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/himynameisv/pseuds/himynameisv'>himynameisv</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Magic is free, Protective Arthur, Uther Finds Out About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Uther Finds Out About Morgana's Magic (Merlin), i don't know what this is, it's a mess, ooc Uther, this is just wholesome and self-indulgent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:53:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,933</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27010432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/himynameisv/pseuds/himynameisv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Uther isn't as heartless as we all thought, and Arthur's seriously behind on everything.</p><p>Originally posted on fanfiction.net.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arthur Pendragon &amp; Uther Pendragon (Merlin), Balinor &amp; Kilgharrah (Merlin), Gaius &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Gwen &amp; Morgana (Merlin), Kilgharrah &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin &amp; Morgana (Merlin), Morgana &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Morgana &amp; Uther Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>143</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love Over Evil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Uther's probably OOC in this, but for the sake of Father's Day, I'm gonna let that be.</p><p>Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Well, except for the plot, I guess.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This whole mess started with the vase exploding. Out of nowhere.</p><p>And Morgana's eyes fading from a dreaded gold color.</p><p>His eyes widened, and he really, <em>really </em>tried not to admit the truth of what had happened. He really did; the people had to give him credit since ignorance was usually not applied towards the King of Camelot, especially in regards to magic.</p><p>He tried to explain it in his head. <em>Oh! There was some evil sorcerer nearby!</em> or <em>There was a gust of wind and it just tipped over!</em> or <em>Maybe magic doesn't corrupt all since Morgana has it. </em>He stopped abruptly at that thought. That couldn't be true! What was he thinking? This <em>sorcerer</em> had invaded his household (<em>when she was a young girl who had just lost a father figure</em>, a small part of him piped up) and was trying to take over the kingdom!</p><p>"You have magic!" he exclaimed.</p><p>Morgana's eyes were wide. She looked down at her hands and then up at him with something akin to - to <em>fear</em>. "No! I didn't - I didn't know! I didn't mean to do that! Please!"</p><p>"Guards! Seize the sorcerer!"</p><p>And the guards did as he ordered. He tried to ignore his ward's - the <em>sorcerer's </em>- screams and pleading as she struggled against their grips.</p><p>The doors closed.</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>Word spread fast that the King's Ward had been arrested for sorcery. That meant Arthur found out quite soon. Unfortunately, it also meant a yelling match between the King and the Prince was soon to be done.</p><p>Despite claims to the contrary, Arthur <em>did</em> care about his adopted sister. They argued and teased and one-upped one another constantly, but they always had each other's backs. They were a force to be reckoned with.</p><p>And if that meant Arthur's life had been turned upside down with the realization that magic itself might not be evil, so be it.</p><p>He stormed into the throne room. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked harshly. Gaius was already there, probably trying to do the same thing as Arthur.</p><p>His father looked at him carefully. "A sorcerer has been found in the castle. She is to be executed at dawn tomorrow."</p><p>Arthur's eyes widened. Death hadn't seemed like a possibility until now. "What? Why?! What did she do?"</p><p>"She exploded that vase over there."</p><p>Arthur looked to where the shards of a broken vase laid scattered on the floor. Nobody had bothered to clean it up. "And what? That caused such an <em>inconvenience</em> to you that you had her arrested?"</p><p>Uther's voice was sharp and emotionless when he answered, "Magic corrupts the soul, the very essence of a human being. Magic is evil, and so are those who use it."</p><p>"Come on, this is <em>Morgana</em> here! She's not a threat to the kingdom!"</p><p>"Perhaps she's cast a spell on you and that is why you are defending her."</p><p>Arthur sighed. That was the explanation for everything, wasn't it?</p><p>Gaius took this time to interrupt. "Sire, with all due respect. From what I have heard, she barely had any control over her magic, let alone be able to use it to take over the kingdom."</p><p>Arthur nodded. "She didn't even know she had magic!" Or, at least, he assumed.</p><p>"And how is that possible?! Magic must be learned! A sorcerer chooses to let that darkness into their soul!" Uther snapped.</p><p>"That is not true, Sire," Gaius said tiredly, like he'd been over this a million times already. "Some can be born with the power, and I believe that was the case with Morgana."</p><p>"And how do you know?" Uther narrowed his eyes at the physician.</p><p>"Do you remember her nightmares? They always became true." Silence reigned in the room for a full minute before the King ordered them out.</p><p>"But Father-"</p><p>"Go! I forbid you from seeing the sorcerer!" They left.</p><p>Arthur was reeling.</p><p>Magic wasn't necessarily chosen. Magic is like a sword. Magic can be both good and evil. Magic users can be born with their abilities.</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>So then, all those people who had been burned at the pyre were <em>innocent</em>? All those deaths? All the screams that still haunted Arthur to this day? He felt sick.</p><p>No wonder magic users kept attacking Camelot. Camelot had attacked them first.</p><p>"Are you alright, Sire?" Gaius asked.</p><p>"Fine." Gaius's eyebrow made him change his mind. "Well, I now know that we murdered a bunch of innocent people over something they had no control over. How am I supposed to feel about that?"</p><p>"Guilty, angry. Maybe a bit saddened."</p><p>"That was a rhetorical question," Arthur said dryly. Then something struck him. "You used to practice magic, right?" Gaius nodded his head. "What - how did you feel about all of this? How are you not mad at us for persecuting your kind?"</p><p>Gaius sighed, and it was then that he looked so much older. "I can not blame <em>you</em>. You simply believed what your father had taught you."</p><p>"And look where that got me." Arthur laughed mirthlesssly.</p><p>"But your father only began to hate magic in his grief over your mother's death."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"He blamed magic for it. And though it's not entirely unjustified, I still believe your father made the wrong choice."</p><p>"And yet you stayed," Arthur commented.</p><p>"And yet I stayed," the old physician confirmed. "Perhaps it was because the King trusted me. Perhaps it was because having someone with magic so close to the King would be invaluable. Perhaps it was because of my job as the Court Physician. Or," he paused and looked at Arthur, "perhaps it was because a young prince was going to grow up in the castle without a mother."</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>Merlin snuck down into the dungeons after Gwen had left.</p><p>"Merlin!" Morgana exclaimed, scrambling to the edge of the cell towards him. "You shouldn't be down here."</p><p>He smirked. "Has that stopped me before?"</p><p>For the first time since Merlin had arrived in Camelot, the King's Ward (or maybe not anymore) looked unsure of herself. She drew back slightly. "Do you...do you believe I'm evil?"</p><p>"No! Of course not!" He had thought the same of himself many times, and would not let that be.</p><p>"So...you don't believe I have magic?"</p><p>"Magic and evil aren't synonymous, Morgana. What did you and Gwen talk about?"</p><p>Morgana shrugged. "She said the same thing as you. Not sure if I believe it, though."</p><p>Merlin sighed. "The facts of the matter are: you have magic, and you're not evil. That's all that matters."</p><p>"How can you be so sure of that?" she asked.</p><p>"I've seen magic used for good <em>and </em>evil. It only depends on the user."</p><p>"But magic is illegal in Camelot," she protested.</p><p>"Laws can be wrong, Morgana!" A few seconds of silence passed.</p><p>"How's Arthur taking this?" she asked hesitantly.</p><p>Merlin laughed. "Oh, you don't want to know. Last I checked, he and Uther were shouting their heads off over you."</p><p>"I'm flattered."</p><p>"Yeah, he's a bit new to this 'magic isn't evil' stuff, but he got there quicker than I expected. And, you want to know a secret?" He leaned in closer. "Forbærnan," he whispered, and let the flame sit in his palm for Morgana to see.</p><p>Her eyes widened. "You have magic!"</p><p>"Yeah. I could move and levitate things since I was a baby. Once you get out of here, I can teach you spells, if you'd like."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>Merlin smiled. "Of course. You're my friend, Morgana! And you're not alone."</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>Arthur thought this day couldn't get any worse. He was sorely mistaken.</p><p>"Sire!" A guard came rushing in, panicked. "Some creature is attacking the castle!" Arthur could hear the screams, so he ran out after the guard with just his sword.</p><p>The sight before him wasn't pretty. Multiple people lay on the ground with cuts and bruises, and the knights had arrived, only to exclaim that they couldn't pierce the creature's skin. Great, just great.</p><p>But Arthur had been in these odds before, and he went charging in.</p><p>He got knocked to the ground. Typical in these situations. Unfortunately, everyone else got knocked to the ground as well and Arthur was sure Camelot was going to fall until he heard a few shouted words in some language he didn't understand and the creature just - just exploded into fire right before his eyes.</p><p>Arthur would probably have stayed on the ground for the rest of the day if Uther hadn't come onto the scene and yelled, "Sorcery!" pointing at <em>Merlin</em>, of all people. All the blood had drained from his face and he looked scared to death.</p><p>Arthur jumped up from his position on the ground. "What? Father-"</p><p>"Silence! Guards, arrest the sorcerer and put him with the other one!"</p><p>And Merlin, happy-go-lucky innocent Merlin was dragged off to the dungeons. And though Arthur hadn't seen him using magic, he just <em>knew</em> from one look that Merlin had been the one to defeat the creature. He refused to look Arthur in the eye, and <em>really</em>, that was ridiculous because why would Arthur be mad? He had just saved Camelot!</p><p>Arthur's mind stuttered to a stop.</p><p>Wait, that meant all the times bandits attacked, that wasn't just <em>luck</em>? That was - that was just <em>Merlin</em>?</p><p>Oh, hell no. Merlin couldn't hurt a fly. Or could he? He had just defeated that magical creature. Well, in self defense. But he's really clumsy and trips over his own feet and cries over baby rabbits and - and Arthur was confused now.</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>Morgana watched as the guards dragged Merlin into the cell and unceremoniously dropped him onto the hay-covered floor, closing the door and leaving them in the darkness.</p><p>She raised her eyebrows. "What'd <em>you </em>do?"</p><p>"Saved Camelot from a magical creature. Using magic. This is apparently their 'thank you'," he said nonchalantly.</p><p>"Have you saved Camelot before?" she asked, curious.</p><p>"Oh, more times than I can count. But usually not in the middle of the courtyard. And Uther saw, so now I'm stuck here. But guess what? We're cell buddies now!" He said with a ridiculously huge smile.</p><p>Morgana had to roll her eyes. She didn't think anyone had ever been as enthusiastic as he was to be in the dungeons.</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>Arthur pushed his confusion aside and made way for anger. He stormed into the throne room (for the second time that day) to confront his father, only to find Gaius had beaten him there. <em>Again</em>.</p><p>"This is ridiculous!" Arthur exclaimed. "Merlin just saved us from that creature!"</p><p>"A magical creature that couldn't be defeated with swords alone," Gaius interjected.</p><p>"Exactly! And how are you going to thank him? Have him <em>executed</em>?! What kind of logic is that? If he and Morgana really were evil, we would probably be dead by now."</p><p>"Alright, I'll lift the ban on magic!" Uther screamed in exasperation. Arthur's jaw dropped. <em>That quickly?</em> "Guards! Retrieve the two sorcerers from the dungeon."</p><p>Arthur dared not speak as they waited for them to return. When they did, both Morgana and Merlin glared at Uther (the latter with about as much heat as a little kitten) and Arthur had to hold back a snort.</p><p>"I hereby declare you both pardoned from Camelot's laws. However, you are to be under house arrest until further notice," Uther said without the usual flourish.</p><p>Morgana opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it in a very unlady-like manner. Merlin just stared at the King, wondering if he was hallucinating or not, and then glanced at Gaius for affirmation.</p><p>Arthur realized he had not closed his mouth since letting it drop open earlier, and proceeded to do so as to try to look more princely.</p><p>It was for naught, though. Everyone had been too shocked to notice.</p><p>He entered the King's chambers in the evening.</p><p>"What, Arthur?" his father asked, irritated.</p><p>He felt very unsure of himself at that moment. "I'd like to...help, with all the paperwork this has caused." His eyes softened, and Arthur thought that he had finally found his father instead of the King.</p><p>"Here." He shoved a stack of papers at Arthur, and they got to work. This was going to be a long night.</p><p>And so it was, that the ban on magic was repealed the next morning, to mixed reactions.</p><p>Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana watched from her balcony as it was announced to the people. It was a beautiful day, for more than one reason.</p><p>Morgana laughed and threw her arms around Merlin, who stumbled back with a surprised look and then awkwardly put his arms around her. "We're free!" she exclaimed. Merlin smiled and patted her back. If she noticed his discomfort, she didn't show it.</p><p>Arthur rolled his eyes at the sight, and Merlin must've seen him or something since he let his eyes turn gold and Arthur felt a warmth go through his head.</p><p>Morgana let go to cover her mouth and try to muffle her giggles.</p><p>Arthur was irritated. "What?" He turned to look at himself in the mirror, and then his eyes widened, 'cause <em>of course </em>Merlin's first legal act of magic was to mess with Arthur. "MERLIN!"</p><p>Wisely, Merlin ran out of the room, and Arthur quickly followed. On the way out, he passed his father, who just sighed, shook his head, and walked into Morgana's room.</p><p>~oooOOOooo~</p><p>Uther watched his ward for a few seconds and felt truly <em>happy </em>for the first time in a while. "Thank you," she said, noticing his presence in her room.</p><p>"For what?" he asked.</p><p>"For doing the right thing." And that was that. Uther had never been one for sentiments, so he left the room after the brief talk, passing Morgana's maidservant on the way out.</p><p>~oooOOOooo~</p><p>"Oh! Those are beautiful, Gwen!" Morgana exclaimed with a smile (she seemed to be doing that a lot lately).</p><p>Gwen placed the bouquet of purple flowers in her hands. "It is a special day, after all."</p><p>Morgana looked out the window. "That it is."</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>"You're such a <em>girl</em>, Merlin!" Merlin was crying. Not <em>pretty</em> crying, which would make him more like a girl, but full on sobbing like the world was going to end. Which didn't make any sense because, if anything, the world had just started for Merlin.</p><p>And Arthur wasn't worried. No! He was just - just mildly concerned. That was all. And that was why they were here in Gaius's chambers, waiting for him to come back from his rounds.</p><p>He sighed and put a hand on Merlin's shoulder. He was never that good at this kind of stuff. "Come on, Merlin. There's nothing to cry about." That was apparently a very wrong thing to say because Merlin just sobbed harder.</p><p>Gaius entered the room then, and if he was surprised by Merlin's breakdown or Arthur's hair (he still hadn't gotten Merlin to change it back yet), he didn't give any indication.</p><p>"What happened?" Gaius asked. Arthur gestured at Merlin helplessly, running his hand through his now purple hair. Gaius stepped up to Merlin, leaning down to brush his unruly black hair back. And no, Arthur's heart did not clench at the fatherly gesture.</p><p>"I'm just - I'm just <em>so happy</em>," Merlin managed to sob out before Gaius wrapped him in a tight hug.</p><p>"Shh...it's okay. Your brain just needs time to process it. You're letting out years of fear." Merlin buried his head in Gaius's shoulder and Arthur had to swallow, looking away. This wasn't for his eyes. "Shh...my boy. It's okay. You're free now." Or his ears.</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>It was later in the evening that Uther abruptly stopped in his tracks and remembered, <em>That bloody dragon's still underneath the castle!</em></p><p>He sighed (he was way too old for this) and started to gather a few guards to go down there.</p><p>Of course, the first thing the dragon did was sneer at him. "Why, Uther Pendragon. I thought you'd have forgotten about me by now."</p><p>"You can talk?!" Arthur exclaimed, and Uther turned back to glare at him (the dragon did as well). Arthur didn't seem to notice, turning to his manservant and loudly whispering, "The dragon can talk!"</p><p>The boy shrugged helplessly.</p><p>"The ban on magic has been repealed. You are free to go," Uther said with much heat.</p><p>He had never seen the dragon that surprised in his life. "What?" it asked.</p><p>"Yes, you overgrown lizard!" Marvin snapped, stepping forward. "You're free!" He broke the chains with his magic.</p><p>And then it flew away. Without a word. That entitled dragon.</p><p>"So, um, why did we have a dragon underneath the castle?" Arthur asked.</p><p>Uther decided to hurry after the guards.</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>Miraculously, Kilgharrah decided not to burn Camelot to the ground. It seemed that destiny, <em>somehow</em>, had been diverted.</p><p>He flew and flew until he found the young dragonlord in a cave growing an unruly beard. Needless to say, Kilgharrah was not impressed.</p><p>"Kilgharrah!" Balinor jumped up. "What?! How?!"</p><p>"Magic is free in Camelot now. And you have a son there."</p><p>Balinor spluttered and coughed on absolutely nothing. "You choose <em>now </em>to be uncryptic?!" he asked hysterically after regaining his breath.</p><p>"Your son's also Emrys."</p><p>Another coughing fit ensued.</p><p>~ oooOOOooo ~</p><p>It took a while for the magical community to truly trust Camelot again. None of them did it because of Uther, though. They did it because of Merlin and Arthur.</p><p>And this was the story of how magic was actually returned to Camelot <em>before </em>the reign of Emrys and the Once and Future King. The coming of Albion was near.</p>
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